Saint George and the Dragon by Paolo Uccello (Interpretation and Analysis)
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| Saint George and the Dragon Source: National Gallery |
Paintings of the lives of Christian saints are abundant in the history of Western art. These paintings were particularly popular because they were considered to be morally instructive, provided a way to form a personal connection with religion, and, most importantly, because they offered entertainment.
This painting, Paolo Uccello’s Saint George and the Dragon, is particularly sensational. In fact, it’s one of the strangest paintings of the Renaissance period. As the name suggests, the painting depicts two episodes from the story of Saint George and the dragon. As the National Gallery of the UK explains:
Uccello’s painting shows Saint George stabbing the dragon on the right, while the princess stands to the left with a leash around the dragon’s neck. This strange disregard for time and narrative structure is reminiscent of medieval art, although Uccello was certainly a painter of the Renaissance. Throughout the history of western art, it was common—especially in the medieval period—for pieces of art to depict multiple events happening at the same time. This is because the painters were not interested in achieving realism, but rather wanted to convey a fully formed narrative or idea.
Uccello’s piece borrows this principle while also employing the more realistic style of the Renaissance. The accurate representation of three dimensional space was one of the defining characteristics of the Renaissance style, and Uccello was well known for his obsession with perspective. In fact, the artist’s obsession with perspective is such that the resulting painting has a stiff, almost calculated quality. The identical trees in the background and the geometric designs on the dragon’s wings demonstrate a passionate interest in visual organization and patterns.
While the subject matter is engaging and certainly dramatic, Uccello’s painting feels more like a mathematical experiment than an exercise in artistic creativity. As is the case in many Renaissance paintings, the central figures— the princess and Saint George—display a singular lack of emotion. Only the dragon, trapped in its death throes with blood dribbling from its mouth, conveys the true violence and horror of the scene.
Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.
This painting, Paolo Uccello’s Saint George and the Dragon, is particularly sensational. In fact, it’s one of the strangest paintings of the Renaissance period. As the name suggests, the painting depicts two episodes from the story of Saint George and the dragon. As the National Gallery of the UK explains:
“The story is taken from a popular collection of saints’ lives, ‘The Golden Legend’...According to the legend, the citizens of Silene in Libya had managed to appease the dragon by feeding him two sheep every day. However, their supply of sheep began to run out and they decided to offer one sheep and one person, to be selected by drawing lots. One day the lot fell on the king’s daughter...George, who was a military tribune, happened to be passing the lake where the dragon lived, near which the princess was awaiting her fate. When the dragon appeared George wounded it and called to the princess to tie her belt around its neck. Here the legend says: ‘It followed her like a little dog on a leash’. They took the dragon back to the city where Saint George eventually satisfied the citizens by putting it to death. This legend is one example among many in different cultures in which good is seen to triumph over evil.”
Uccello’s painting shows Saint George stabbing the dragon on the right, while the princess stands to the left with a leash around the dragon’s neck. This strange disregard for time and narrative structure is reminiscent of medieval art, although Uccello was certainly a painter of the Renaissance. Throughout the history of western art, it was common—especially in the medieval period—for pieces of art to depict multiple events happening at the same time. This is because the painters were not interested in achieving realism, but rather wanted to convey a fully formed narrative or idea.
Uccello’s piece borrows this principle while also employing the more realistic style of the Renaissance. The accurate representation of three dimensional space was one of the defining characteristics of the Renaissance style, and Uccello was well known for his obsession with perspective. In fact, the artist’s obsession with perspective is such that the resulting painting has a stiff, almost calculated quality. The identical trees in the background and the geometric designs on the dragon’s wings demonstrate a passionate interest in visual organization and patterns.
While the subject matter is engaging and certainly dramatic, Uccello’s painting feels more like a mathematical experiment than an exercise in artistic creativity. As is the case in many Renaissance paintings, the central figures— the princess and Saint George—display a singular lack of emotion. Only the dragon, trapped in its death throes with blood dribbling from its mouth, conveys the true violence and horror of the scene.
Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.
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